Packing machine



Oct. 14, 1952 K. J. sYLvEs-r ETAL 2,613,854

PACKING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l lugl EL 4/ I 35a @gig/'2m BY sa.

ATTO R N EYS oct. 14g-1952 Filed June 4, 1949 K. J, sYLvEs-r ET AL 2,613,854

PAQKING MACHINE 4 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 BY se ATTORNEY 5 Patented oci. 1`4, 1952 I UNITED STAT PAoKrNG MACHINE Y Karl Jens Sylvest and Ejler J ensen,Y Copenhagen, Denmark, assignors to F. L'. Smidth & Co., New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewJer-sey Application June 4, 1949, Serial No; 97,266 In Great Britain June 14,1948

end leading to filling spouts on which bags can be mounted. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel packing apparatus yof the rotary tank type, which is so constructed that a' regular flow ofthe material throughthe spoutsV is obtained without theW use of a'rotary agitator and little or'no air need vbe supplied yto the material Within the tank, either at'the start or during continued operation.

In prior packing apparatus including "a rotary tank, it is common 'to employ an agitator, which rotates within the tank .at a'speed substantially greater than that of the tank, and to introduce air' into/the tank, in order to obtain a steady discharge of material. The use of such an agitator, however, is undesirable, in that it requires a separate motor and drive and this complicates the machine. If the agitator is not used, it is not" possible to obtain a suliciently uniform discharge'of material, even if the air is diiTused into the tank in a finely divided state. In the prior apparatus having the air supply only, it has been found necessary to use larger quantities of air during starting than'during continuous operation and the increased use of the air causes irregular discharge for a period immediately after the machine is put into operation. Also, during that period, a longer time is required to ll bags attached to the spouts, so that, whereas in regular operation, a bag is iilled during one revolution of 'the tank, lthe bag may have to make two revolutions with the tank in order to be filled. In addition, the emptying of the tank of'the prior apparatus after the completion of a packing operation has been found to require that all outlet openings be employed for the purpose, and this resultsy in the production of a number of partially lled bags.

The present invention is directed to the provision of a novel packing apparatus of the rotary tank type, which does not involve the use of a rotating agitator and may be operated with less air than has heretofore been required and, in

some forms, without the use of air, 'either during of the tank containing Es.h PATENT OFFICE-Z 12c1aims. v(01.222-4168) "y y the openings'. the@ tank rotates, the `distributing device producesfa regular flow of material throughthe` outlets, the.

elementsagitating the material around and abovev the openings. With certain materials, sucht as some types of cement, it has been found possible. to obtain a; constantdischarge rate; even though no airis'employed. Also completeemptyingof the' tank through a single outlet can-be effected.

-lThe apparatus includes means for preventing y ing elements.

not greatly 'less than the bottom, or the distribut ing device may include such a cone. analter-fnative, the device may include radialv arms lying; close to the upper' surface Yof the bottom andpartly covered by a circular plate or partly cov-.1.5,

reference may 'be' made `to the` accompanying,-,

drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a view, partly in vertical section andpartly in elevation', of one form of theapparatusff,

Fig. 2 vis a fragmentary verticalsectional'view of the apparatus taken on the line 2--2 of- Fig.g3; f

Figs'. 6 and 7 `arevertical sectional views of other modified forms of the apparatus; Vand Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional 'view of yanother modified form kof the apparatus.

The packing apparatus illustrated in Fig.' comprises atank l0 of generally cylindrical lforni` with a tapering upper end. A shaft ll eXtendsQ vertically `through the. tank andis suspendedat its upper end in a bearing I2, the shaftvbeing/H dri-venby any appropriate means (not shown)..f

Fig. 3 isa sectionalfview'on the'line" 3-3of1" asectional 'view v'on the line rtl--li of The tank rests on its bottom on plate I3 yencircling-the shaft and held in place bynuts. -l4

threaded on the shaft. The upper end of the Vtankis closed by astat'ionary cover made up. of

extending past `the supports and intothe open.,

fnpperl end of the tank., vThe plate lI5,isprovided,

with an inlet I8 through which material may be supplied to the tank.

The bottom of the tank is provided with a plurality of outlet openings I9 spaced along the periphery thereof and a rubber outlet spout leads from `each outlet opening and delivers the material to a lling spout 2I. The lower end of spout 2I Vis constructed to carry a receptacle, which may be a valve bag held in place on the spout by a gripping element 22.V The filling spout is suspended from a weigh-beam 23 and, when the lled bag is to be released from .the lling spout, the gripper is freed from the bag by engagement of a roller 24 with a fixed guide rail 25. The lling spouts and related parts form no part of the present invention and may beof the construction illustrated and described in Middelboe Patent 1,903,188, issued March 28, 1933.

In the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, the material supplied to the interior of the tank through inlet I8, is kept from contact with the bottom of the .tank except along a narrow peripheral area containing the outlet openings. For this purpose, a conical member 26 rests upon the bottom and is attached at its upper end to shaft II. The space dened by the bottom of the tank andthe conical member may be used for an air reservoir, the air being supplied through a connection 2l leading into the hollow lower end of the shaft to escape beneath the conical member through ports 28. The airis then supplied by connections 29 to means for supplying the air in difconcentric pipes 30 lying on the bottom of the tankV outside the conical member and on either side of the row of outlet openings. The pipes may be of porous material or may be perforated and covered with porous material so as to effect properdiffusion of the air.

A stationary scraping Tor distributing device is mounted in the tank and includes scraping elements lying immediately above the outlet openings. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the device comprises a plurality of bars 3I attached at their upper ends to the cover and extending downwardly along the shaft and the conical member 26, the group of bars being connected by rings 32, 33, 34. Scraping elements are attached to the lower ring 34 with a spacing equal to'that between the outlet openings and each element in the construction shown is of U-shape with its legs 35a extending radially outwardly from shaft I I. The scraping elements lie a short distance above pipes 30 and their legs terminate close to the inner cylindrical wall of the tank.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the narrow peripheral areas of the bottom of the tank between adjacent outlet openings I 9 are cut away to form openings in which are inserted porous plates-36, and a chamber 31 is attached to the bottom of the tank below each plate and is supplied with air through a connection 38 from the air reservoir defined by the bottom of the tank and the conical member 2E. The air supplied to each chamber 31 escapes through the porous plate 36 at the top of the chamber to enter the material lying on the plate.

In the construction shown in Fig. 6, the bottom of the tank is provided with a conical member 39 and the distributing device comprises a plurality of bars 40, which are attached at their upper ends to the stationary cover and extend downwardly along the shaft and along the conical member 35. At their lower ends, the bars have radial portions 4I lying close to the bottom of the tank and these portions are covered by a plate 42, which is of less outer diameter than the diameter of the bottom of the tank. The material is thus kept from contact with the bottom of the tank except along a narrow peripheral area thereof and, in this area, are formed the-outlet openings 43. The ends of sections 4I of the bars projecting beyond the edge of plate 42 overlie the peripheral area of the bottom containing the outlet openings and act as scraping elements.

In the construction shown in Fig. 7, the scraping device .comprises a plurality of bars 44 attached'at their upper ends to the stationary cover of the tank and extending downwardly parallel to the shaft. At the lower ends, the bars are attached to a plate 45, which is of slightly less diameter than the bottom of the tank, so that the material is kept from contact with the bottom except along a narrow peripheral area thereof.

Outlet openings 45 are formed in this area and plate 45 is provided with scraping elements 4l projecting beyond the margin of the plate and overlying the narrowperipheral area of the bottom containing the outlet openings.

The construction shown in Fig. 8 is similar tov that of Fig. 7 -except that the ilat plate 45 is replaced by a conical member 48 .attached to the lower ends of bars 49 suspended from the cover of the tank. The bottom of the cone 48 is of slightly. less diameter than the bottom of the tank, so that the material is kept from contact with the tank except along a narrow peripheral area containing the outlet openings 50. A plurality of scraping elements 5I are attached to the lower end of cone 48 and extend outwardly a regular flow of the material through the out I let openings results. With certain materials,

such as some cements, discharge of the material at a constant rate is obtained without supplying air to the material; When the tank is to be completely emptied, only a single outlet opening need be employed since the material on the narrow area is continually leveledoff and thus flows A through the open outlet opening as the tank rotates.

In the forms of apparatus shown in Figs. 6, y'7,

and 8, the provision of the means, such as plates 42 and 45 and cone 43, for relieving the load on the bottom of the tank makes it possible to start the full tank without the use of any air supply. However, these forms of,l apparatus may be provided with air supply devices, such as are shown' in Figs. 1-5, inclusive. Also, the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 may be employed without the air supply means for some purposes.

We claim:

l. In apparatus for rpacking powdered material, the combination of a filling tank comprising a side wall and `a bottom rigidly secured thereto, 'the tank being mounted for rotation on a central vertical axis through the bottom o-f the tank and having anopen upper end and outlet openings at its lower end Vspaced about the periphery of the tank, a stationary closure for the upper end 0f the tank, and scraping elements within thelaciasisli tank and rigidly' connected to' the closure, the elements lying-closeto the inner ends of the outlet openings. y 1 l j 2. In apparatusv for packing powdered material, the combination of a filling tank comprising a side wall and a bottom rigidly secured thereto, the tank being mounted for rotation on a central vertical axis `through the lbottom of the tankand having `an' fopen upper end and outlet openings at its lower end spaced about the'periphery of the tank, means Within the tank preventing the material from coming in contact with the bottom of the tank except over a narrow' annulararea yalong the periphery of the bottom `adjacent the openings, a stationary closure for the upper end of the tank, and stationary scraping elements mounted Within the tank and frigidly connected to the closure, the elements lying close to the inner ends of theopenings.

3. In apparatus for packing powdered material, the combination of a filling tank comprising a side Wall and a bottom rigidly secured thereto, the tank being mounted for rotation on a central axis through the bottom of the tank and having an open upper end and outlet openings in its botto-m spaced about the periphery thereof, means Within the tank preventing the material from coming in contact with the bottom of the tank except over a narrow annular area, along the periphery of the bottom containing the outlet openings, a stationary closure for the upper end of the tank, and stationary scraping elements mounted in the tank to overlie said narrow area adjacent the openings, the elements being rigidly connected to the closure,

4. In apparatus for packing powdered material, the -combination of a filling tank comprising a side Wall and -a bottom rigidly secured thereto, the tank being mounted for rotation on a central vertical axis through the bottom of the tank and having an open upper end and outlet openings at its lower end spaced about the periphery of the tank, a stationary closure for the upper end of the tank, and means attached to the closure for preventing the material from coming int-o contact with the bottom of the tank except over a narrow annular area along the periphery of the bottom -adjacent the openings, said means including stationary scraping elements overlying the Iannular area adjacent the openings.

5. In apparatus for packing powdered material, the combination of a filling tank comprising a side wall and a bottom rigidly secured thereto,`

thetank being mounted for rotation on a central vertical `axis throughthe bottom ofthe tank and having an open upper end and outlet openings at kits bottom spaced about the periphery thereof,

means Within the tank preventing the material from coming in con-tact with the bottom of the tank except over a narrow annular area along the periphery of the bottom containing the Ioutlet openings, means for diffusing air into the material lying on said area, a stationary closure for the top of the tank, yand stationary scraping elements mounted in the tank to overlie lsaid are-a adjacent the openings, the elements being connected to the closure.

6. In apparatus for packing |powdered material, the combination of a filling tank comprising a side wall 'and :a bottom rigidly secured thereto, the tank being mounted for rotation on a central axis through the bottom of the tank and having an open upper end and outlet openings in its bottom spaced about the periphery thereof, a conical member Within the tank for directing the fmaterial upon an annulary jareaalongtl'fef. periphery vof the bottom" containing the v outlet f openings, means for diffusing air. into'the mate` rial lyingjon said -area; a stationary closure forli the top of the tank,gandystationaryscraping ele-- ments overlying the lannular area adjacent 'the openings, the elements being connected the closure.

7. In apparatus for packing epowdered'material, the ,combination of a filling tank comp-rising aside wall and a bottom rigidly secured thereto,` the tank being mounted for rotation on a centrall :axisthroughtthe bottom of the tank Iand having an open upper end and outletopenings in its l' `bottom spaced about the periphery thereof, a conical member mounted centrally onthe bottom of the tankfor directing the material upon anvannular area along the periphery of the bot-7 tom containing the outlet openings, 'a stationary f' closure for the top of the tank, and stationary j scraping elements overlying the annular varea ad-` jacent the openings, the

elements being oon-f nected to the closure'.` g

8. In apparatus for packing powdered material, the combination of a filling tank comprising a side wall and a bottom rigidly secured thereto, the tank .being mounted for rotation on a central axis through the bottom of the tank and having an open upper end and outlet openings in its bottom spaced -about the periphery thereof, a

conical member mounted centrally on the bottoml of the tank for directing the material upon an annular area along the periphery of the bottom containing the outlet openings, means for diffusing air through the bottom of the tank into 1 the material on said annular area, means for supplying air into the interior of the conical member, and connections between the interior of the conical member and the diiusing means.

9. In apparatus for packing powdered material, the combination of ra filling tank comprising a side wall Vand a bottom rigidly secured thereto, the tank being mounted for rotation on a central axis through the bottom of the tank and having an open upper end :and outlet openings in its botto-m spaced about the periphery thereof, a coni-cal member mounted -centrally on the bottom of the tank for directing the material upon an annular area along the periphery of the bottom containing the outletI openings, Ia stationary closure for the top of the tank, and stationary scraping elements depending from the closure and having sections overlying the 4annular area `adjacent the openings.

10. In apparatus for packing powdered materi-al, the combination of a filling tank comprising a side Wall and a bottom rigidly lsecured thereto, the tank being mounted for rotation on a -central axis through the bottom of the tank and having an open upper end and outlet openings in its bottom spaced about the periphery thereof, a stationary closure for the upper end of the tank, and means depending from the closure for preventing -the material from coming into contact with the bottom of the tank except over a narrow annular area along the periphery of the bottom adjacent the openings, said means including stationary scraping elements overlying said area adjacent the openings.

ll. In apparatus for vpacking powdered material, the combination of a vertical shaft, a bearing for the shaft above the lower end thereof, a tank supported on the lower end of the shaft, the tank having an open upper end, through which the shaft extends, and outlet openings adjacent'i-tslower end,y a Astfrttioi'iary closureA for 'the upper-end of the tank, the shaft extending thrmzghthe` closure, means for supportingthe closure, and scraping elements rigidly attached tothe closure and extending down into the tank its lower end, a stationary closure'forthe upper en d of the tank, the shaft extending through the closure, means for supporting the closure, means within 4the tank preventing the material from coming into contacty with the bottom of the tank except over a, narrow annular area along the periphery `of the lower end of the tank `adjacent the outlet openings, and scraping element-s rigidlyY attached to theclosure and lextending down into the tank and terminating adjacent said area. KARL JENS SYLVEST.

. EJLER JENSEN.

was@

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordlnr the.

Number Name Date 234,079 Sheldon et al. Nov. 2, 1880 266,951 ClaWson Oct. 31, 1882 830,543 Trump et al Sept. 11, 1906 992,148 Bates May 16, 1911 1,184,074 Clark May 23, 1916 1,903,188 Middleboe Mar. 28, 1933 2,016,167 Carlson Oct. 1, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 653,921 Germany Dec. 6, 1937 62,353 y Denmark May 30, 1944 

